Shimazdu Presents the HPV-X2, a 10 Million fps Video Camera

Shimazdu has launched the Hyper Vision HPV-X2, an ultra high speed camera that can record 10 million frames per second. It features an FTCMOS burst image sensor, which makes it 6 times more photosensitive that its predecessors. The outstanding sensitivity and speed allow observation of varied biological and industrial processes invisible to the human eye.

The Hyper Vision HPV-X2 has an improved light sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. It can ve synchronized with other cameras to view a sample from different viewpoints. Shimazdu has developed an accompanying software for camera control and data analysis, but other imaging and analytical softwares are compatible too.

How does the Burst Method allow recording 10 million fps?

Conventional camera: memories are located outside of the sensor.

In normal cameras, images are stored in memories located outside of the image sensor. This means that the image signals must be transferred to the memory. The problem comes when the number of pixels to transfer is enormous compared to the number of signal output taps, given that the process has to be sequential. In practice, this hinders ultra high-speed recording. Shimazdu solved the problem developing an image sensor with built-in memories, as many as frames to be recorded per second. Memories and pixels are connected one-to-one for parallel transfer of information.

The new Burst Image Sensor is based in CMOS technology. Instead of locating memories contiguous to the pixels, which is typical of CCD sensors, CMOS sensors spatially separate pixels and memories, avoiding signal leakage from the pixels to the memories.

The Hyper Vision HPV-X2 video camera has applications in the aerospace, automotive and semiconductor fields, and also in the manufacture of industrial equipment, advanced medical equipment and consumer electronics.